Beneath Our Feet 3: The Family That Keeps Us
by Funky In Fishnet
Summary: The Durins arrive at King's Landing to reunite with Fili and have to deal with Southern politics. Bilbo watches everything, vowing to keep his family safe, and thinks on how lucky he is.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

_**Author Note: **Part 3 of the 'Beneath Our Feet' verse, a mash-up of The Hobbit and Game of Thrones.** Warning: **contains incest. Eternal thanks to quantumdoll, who dealt with my emails, texts, and babble and was never less than encouraging. I'm blessed to know you 3_

* * *

**THE FAMILY THAT KEEPS US**

Fili was alive. Bilbo had to keep telling himself that. Fili was alive, and was reunited with his brother. Shala squeezed his hand and her eyes danced when she smiled. Fili's mother, Dis, was talking quietly with Thorin, as a small group of bannermen packed the last of the belongings away. Mariya stood at Shala's back, her own excitement at the upcoming reunion only evident in her clenched fingers and bright eyes.

Like Bilbo, whilst in the South she wouldn't publicly be part of the family. That hurt her as much as it hurt him.

Thorin broke away from his sister to pay the innkeeper who had provided rooms for the previous night and nodded at Shala. It was time to move onto the final part of their journey, onto King's Landing. Shala smiled and began corralling the twins onto their horses, Theomar eager and quick, his daggers shining on his belt, and Lollys somehow managing to keep her dove-grey dress mostly clean amongst the mud. They'd been so excited ever since the raven had arrived with news of Fili's presence in the Queen's home. It seemed as though almost everybody on the Mountain was excited about it, Bilbo had witnessed celebrations on the streets and had clung to Thorin with wordless joy in private.

Everything would have to be private now. Bilbo's heart tightened at the thought, but he rode just behind Thorin, Shala at her husband's side. Things were so different in the South. Once, Bilbo had thought he would miss it so much that it would break his heart. He'd heard stories of the North, of the cold and the terror, of the vicious Greyjoys, the relentless Starks, and the strange savage Durins. But he hadn't been able to refuse when Thorin of the House of Durin, called Oakenshield thanks to his remarkable victory in battle many years before, had requested that Bilbo Baggins come to the Mountain to live. The Tyrells had been pleased with what they had gotten in return.

Bilbo's eyes narrowed slightly. The Tyrells would no doubt have a strong presence at court during this Durin visit. He knew enough court politics to know that they believed Bilbo's presence on the Mountain gave them strength of favour with the Queen, since her own link with the Durins was so powerful. Everybody knew of Kili saving her life.

"Will we see her dragons?" Lollys asked quiet and excited.

Bilbo smiled. "We might. Kili says that she's known as the Mother of Dragons for good reason. But you mustn't ask about them."

Lollys nodded with a slight frown. Bilbo had been tasked with explaining the Southern way of things to the children, as it would be their first trip South and the rest of the House of Durin were less inclined to hold to Southern politeness. But the children should present themselves well, particularly when in the Queen's presence, that Thorin and Shala had been firm on. It was one of the official reasons why Bilbo had come on the journey - to teach and care for the children. The Lady Sansa had also requested his presence, for news of Winterfell and how it progressed, particularly its gardens, which he had been tending to at her request for some months now.

The Lady Sansa, Bilbo had decided a while ago, was well-matched with her husband, Lord Tyrion. Both were sharper than blades and veiled with a sort of haunted pain that Bilbo found difficult to look at. But Kili had assured him that they were happy together and had truth in their hearts when it came to aiding the Queen.

"But the Queen can ask what she wants," Bilbo picked up after his previous point, to keep himself and the children distracted as the journey continued. "So if she asks you something, you must be polite and answer her as best you can. You may tell her that you don't know the answer, but you mustn't refuse to talk."

"What if she asks about the Greyjoys?" Theomar wanted to know.

"I expect she will, since they've been such a problem, but she'll ask your father about that."

"Kili says she's his best friend," Lollys looked trouble. "But he always said that Fili was his closest bond."

Bilbo nodded and tried to think of how best to word his answer. It was important that Lollys and Theomar didn't accuse the Queen of stealing Kili. That would not make a good impression. "Queen Daenerys's brother died and when Kili thought Fili was dead, he and the Queens looked after each other. The Queen must think a lot of Fili too, to let him guard Lord Tyrion. It's an honour."

"Yet others scorn because the Queen chose two Northerners from a minor House for such duties," Dis put in, her expression fierce.

"They're fools, my lady," Bilbo said, with a quiet hard sort of smile.

Dis smiled back at him with a pretty nod, her expression knife-sharp. On the Mountain, he called her by name, but in the South, everything had much neater borders. Bilbo had once liked neat borders too. They mostly felt restrictive now.

Theomar wrinkled his nose. "Everything's so strange here. It's too warm."

Bilbo laughed, he'd found himself thinking the same thing since entering the South. He'd become used to wrapping up in thick fur cloaks to brave the bracing bone-deep chill of the Mountain. He'd become used to the chunks of ice that would appear in Thorin's hair, to how two cold bodies could find warmth together. He'd seen how the cold could shape people, how it was in their bones and skin and eyes. He'd seen it appear in his own reflection.

* * *

By the time they reached the outskirts of King's Landing, several fur layers had been stripped off and packed away. Bilbo brought Myrtle to a stop and dismounted with relative ease. Thorin talked quietly to his children for a moment before indicating for Bilbo to join them, Shala, Dis, and Mariya appearing also.

"Things are different here," Thorin understated with heavy significance. "But we must bear it, tearing ourselves apart for the South's sake."

He pressed a hand to Bilbo's shoulder, a touch which Bilbo leaned into. How long would he have to go without Thorin's touch once they were past the city walls? He swallowed, trying to persuade the pain that lanced through him to disappear.

"We do it for Kili and Fili," he suggested aloud. "They survive it every day."

Dis nodded, mute with the storm of emotions that yet another reunion with a thought-dead son had stirred. But she still smiled and led the twins back to the horses so that Shala could converse with Mariya, and Thorin turned to Bilbo, cupping his jaw with a tenderness that made Bilbo tremble.

"I am sorry, my love," Thorin said quietly, his own pain visible in his eyes, communicating how much he loathed the need to bow to Southern practices.

Bilbo drew closer, wanting to soak in Thorin's warmth and hardy figure while he could. "The fault isn't yours. And we'll be near each other, at least."

Thorin kissed him, hungrily for a moment before gentling the kiss into something weighty that Bilbo felt all the way down to his toes. He shivered.

"I didn't think your Southern home would make you shiver so," Thorin murmured, their foreheads pressed together.

Bilbo laughed. "The South is many things, but it isn't my home anymore."

Thorin squeezed Bilbo a last time. He was not a man of many words, so what he did say was always heavy with meaning. It was the way of the Mountain; most things were communicated through action and gesture. Bilbo had learned to treasure his lover's words. He also treasured the charms that had been braided into his hair by Thorin, each one significant. At least while in the South, he still had the small gold tree charm hanging near his ear, marking him as beloved by Lord Durin. To outsiders, it appeared to be a reference to Bilbo's former House or perhaps to his love of gardening. Those on the Mountain knew better.

Shala was pressing a final kiss to Mariya, sliding a hand down her face, before parting. Mariya would stay at her side of course, as her protector. Like Thorin, she would not be completely parted from who she loved. Bilbo's heart filled again with love for the Northern family who'd embraced him so entirely. He might have loved the lush flowers of the Reach and its manners and prettiness, but he hadn't felt as cared for or as valued there as he did in the cold forbidding North. His mother would have been pleased, Bilbo decided, for although she had very much bloomed in the South and its highly-political climate, she had always spoken admiringly of the Northerners she had met – 'good hearts under ice-carved strength and endless winters,' she'd assessed.

Thorin instructed two bannermen to ride on ahead to give the Red Keep word of the Durins's imminent arrival. He glanced over his family a final time and nodded. He didn't have to say it; they would not falter in representing the Mountain well before the Queen. That was what mattered, and not merely because she had given the Mountain back to Thorin, but also because Kili had pledged his life and loyalty to her service. Kili valued her, that spoke volumes.

Bilbo rode with the children, talking to them quietly as they made their way into the city, explaining some of the strange new sights and telling them not to stare too hard at the people who fixed gazes on them and whispered.

"People in the South are rude," declared Lollys, frowning at a huddle of women who were looking at her.

On the Mountain, opinions were made harshly plain and arguments settled outright, often through fist-fights. It made for a lively society, distinctive and hard. Bilbo could understand why the Mountain folk were considered akin to wild animals. Their reputation meant that they were left unbothered by Southern politics, though their strength and prowess in battle did cause overtures to be made for their services. Thorin had sworn that he would aid the Queen in battle should she ask, because any battle his nephews fought, he would fight too.

One of the bannermen who had been sent ahead appeared, spilling words before Thorin nodded and turned to his children.

"Good news has broken since we began our journey. The Queen is to marry Lord Snow."

Bilbo smiled; Kili had privately told his family how much the Queen cared for her nephew and how much she had hoped for such a union. Her heart had been shattered too often before, Kili had said, and she so wished for the happiness that she felt with Lord Snow. It also ensured another tie to the North; Lord Snow was Targaryen by blood, but he had been Northern most of his life. It was a good omen.

"Will we go to the wedding?" asked Lollys eagerly.

"If the Queen invites us," Bilbo replied firmly. "She may allow it, as we've aided Winterfell and Lord Snow is fond of Kili. Don't ask for an invitation, Lollys, and don't ask about Dothraki weddings, Theomar."

Theomar scowled; he'd been fascinated with the Dothraki since hearing Kili's tales of the horse people. Bilbo thought that they sounded even more savage than the Mountain had first appeared to him, a fact that Kili hadn't denied, but he'd also insisted that the Queen had been happy with them, and with her _khal_ husband. She had buried too many people, Bilbo thought sadly. Little wonder she held tight to those she cared for, like her nephews and Kili. Hopefully she had equally embraced Fili. Kili and Fili had always been a matched set; at least, they'd used to be. Bilbo frowned; did the brothers still fit together after being parted for so long?

Mariya was whistling under her breath, it sounded like a Mountain drinking song that Bilbo remembered being sung many times around Erebor, the Durins's home on the Mountain. Mariya was also keeping her eyes keen and sharp on the crowd, dedicated in her task of keeping Shala and the rest of the family safe. She had known Thorin for almost as long as Shala had, she'd watched Kili, Fili, and the twins grow up and was fierce in ensuring their protection. Bilbo was glad of her company; he enjoyed her cutting sense of humour, which many didn't appear to expect from a female knight.

The Red Keep loomed before them, as impressive as it had been the last time they'd visited. Theomar and Lollys looked even more excited and whispered even more questions at Bilbo who motioned that now was the time to be quiet. He had spied faces at various windows and peering around walls – they would be closely watched from now on. He straightened his back and affected disinterest. Thorin would have no problem being equally guarded – he loathed the Southern Houses, particularly the fact that none had helped him in reclaiming his land and he still had to trade with them in order for his people to survive. Yet he had gained an alliance with the House of Targaryen. Bilbo knew this pleased Thorin partly because it deeply vexed many of the Houses that a strange minor House had gained such an honour.

Lord Jon Snow was waiting to greet them, all in black despite his House of birth. No, wait, there was some red corded into his breeches and into the cloak around his shoulders. Lord Snow was still growing used to declaring he was Targaryen then. Bilbo understood that well, he still wore green in deference to his previous House, though his clothing was more awash in slate grey and black now, the colours of the House of Durin.

Thorin swung down from his horse and waited a moment for Shala to join him; she needed no assistance, having ridden a horse since childhood. Mariya slid into place at Shala's shoulder, the strength and support at her back always. Dis stood at Thorin's other side, eager for news of her sons, and Bilbo stood beside Mariya, both children in front of him. They were a family, whether the South recognised it or not.

"Welcome, Lord Durin," Lord Snow smiled easily. "You made good time from the Mountain."

"The Gods have blessed us lately, and you, I hear. Congratulations on your union."

The happiness that spilled over in Lord Snow's expression was quite startling to see, in a place where truth and emotions were kept so tightly packed away for personal ambition. But then, Lord Snow was not a politician – he was a Northern bastard who happened to have Targaryen blood and the heart of the Queen. It was pleasing to see that his new life had not changed him.

"We would have brought gifts, had we known," Shala voiced, apology clear in her voice.

"Your presence is gift enough; it pleases the Queen to make Kili happy. But you must stay for the ceremony, if the Mountain can spare you."

"It can," confirmed Thorin, before his voice lowered a fraction. "Kili's message was brief, my nephews…"

He was asking for Dis's sake primarily, as although she was usually able to play the court game better than most of the Durins, the news of Fili's return had made her fraught at the edges and Thorin did not wish for her to suffer any longer. They were _all_ keen for news however and Bilbo found himself leaning forward slightly, with undue public eagerness.

"Your nephews are both well and attend to their duties," Lord Snow assured them. "They're eager to see you and to reveal what befell Fili and what changes his return has produced."

Naturally not everybody at the Keep was privilege to that story. Perhaps the Queen would arrange for a private audience so that Kili and Fili could speak more freely. Lord Snow nodded to their bannermen and horses.

"Your men are free to walk the grounds, find food in the kitchens, and attend to their mounts in the stables. The Queen is waiting to renew acquaintances."

Bilbo's skin tingled; Kili would be with the Queen, as would Lord Tyrion, meaning Fili would be present also. There might be others there, so it would likely be a very formal reunion, but it was something. Bilbo gestured for the children to follow Lord Snow and signalled for them to keep an eye out for anything too suspicious. The twins nodded, they'd been brought up on the wild Mountain after all, where awareness of your surroundings kept you breathing. And Thorin believed that being able to assess what attacks might come from outsiders in any situation made you a sound Lord of Erebor. He was likely right.

They reached the throne room quickly. Bilbo's eyes were immediately drawn to the throne itself and the woman sat upon it. Queen Daenerys was wearing a leather vest and skirt, which made her skin and hair appear even paler, and her eyes even more violet. She wore a circlet on her brow, the only sign of her authority, except for the regal tilt of her chin and height of her gaze. She looked so young, but there was weathering in her eyes that spoke of too much loss already. And she had chosen to dress as a warrior, perhaps to put the Northerners at ease. It would likely also make the Southerners uncomfortable, a fact that would endear her to Thorin.

A couple of steps below her stood Kili, in the white of the Queen's Guard and smiling slightly in greeting. It wasn't the exuberance Bilbo had witnessed from him before Fili's disappearance, but it was greater happiness that Bilbo had seen from Kili in a long time. And there was the source of it – beside Lord Tyrion, Fili wore black and red under a long cloak of the same colours. He was the Queen's now, just like Kili, and he wore a similar expression to his brother – restrained happiness. For they were in the Queen's presence, and representatives of other Houses were present. Ah, open court perhaps?

Lord Snow took a step toward his Queen, a small smile on his face as the Durins arranged themselves into much the same pattern as before.

"Lord Thorin and Lady Shala of the House of Durin, Your Grace," he announced simply, before taking his place at her side.

The Queen nodded and Thorin inclined his head back. "Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness. And for welcoming my nephews into your household, it brings my House honour."

"Your nephews bring your House honour," the Queen corrected in a clear firm voice.

"Three times assassins have tried to end the Queen's life, and three times her Captain has stopped them," Tyrion informed them all. "No attempts on my life yet, but I'm sure Fili will equal his brother's record before too long."

Fili's mouth twitched and Bilbo's shoulders relaxed a little. It was good to see that Fili was truly present beneath the careful formality.

"Our children, Your Grace." Shala indicated for the twins to come to her, which they neatly did. "Theomar and Lollys."

Lollys dipped into a neat respectful curtsey and Theomar managed a passable head bow. Something passed through the Queen's expression, but she smiled and nodded acceptingly at them. Dis shifted, Bilbo could see the impatience that strained at her, her desperation to hold Fili again, to reassure herself of the truth. It had been so long since she had seen Kili as well. Her sons had been returned to her and were together and she wished to rejoice in that.

"There's no more lost heirs of Durin, are there? I fear who else may miraculously turn up at King's Landing bearing your name." Tyrion turned to the twins. "You have no desire to swing a sword for the Queen? I doubt the kitchen here could cope with another Durin appetite."

Lollys giggled and Theomar grinned, one hand on the pommels of his daggers. Bilbo was surprised at how easily Tyrion spoke to the children, surprised but pleased. Tyrion treated them as he treated everyone else; with a certain degree of sharp wry amusement. But it was a fool who thought that that was all the Queen's Hand was capable of.

"My niece and nephew are visiting, perhaps you'd like to meet them and teach them the rough Northern ways that my wife claims to know nothing about," Tyrion continued, earning a smile from the Lady Sansa. "And Ser Mariya, the Queen's Guard still speak of the drubbing you laid on them before. Perhaps you'd like to show them up again?"

Mariya smiled but turned to Thorin and Shala before replying. After receiving nods, she answered in her deep voice that tended to startle those who didn't know her. "A pleasure, my Lord Hand. But the children have gone without training since the start of our journey."

A ripple of quiet conversation flew through the room. Thorin glared at all he could. On the Mountain, women were expected to battle equally to men. Dis, Shala, and Mariya were more than impressive when armed.

Tyrion smiled, looking quite delighted, perhaps by the reactions around him most of all. "Excellent, a fine spectacle for us all."

He brushed a hand against his wife's side before stepping towards the Durins. "I trust that Kili can watch over my wife in the meantime. Master Baggins, you'll be attending?"

Bilbo flicked a quick look over toward Thorin who warned him with his eyes to be careful but nodded. This way, Shala and Thorin could talk to the Queen about any issues she wished, and the rest of the Durins could reunite with Fili. It was perfect, and Tyrion no doubt knew that.

He led them from the throne room, as some sort of objection was loudly raised at the notion of a girl handling a sword. They clearly had no notion of what Lollys could do. Lollys herself looked excited and happy as she walked beside Mariya. Fili stayed at Tyrion's side, his focus admirably absolute on the Hand. Dis was staring at her son, no doubt drinking in his every detail. He likely sported fresh scars under his clothing and was more weathered in body and spirit, but there were recognisable braids in his hair – one for the House of Durin, one finished with red and black beads that no doubt signalled his loyalty to the Targaryens, another that spoke clearly of his love for someone, a love that would only be extinguished by both their deaths. Though, truthfully, death had already spat both of them out. Bilbo smiled quietly to himself and kept an eye on the twins.

He hoped that Thorin and Shala had a fruitful talk with the Queen, despite the other Houses who likely weren't pleased with the Durins's unashamed Northern ways. The Lady Sansa, Bilbo knew, would watch and speak carefully; nipping unhelpful suggestions in the bud before they could flower.

"Ah, gentlemen, I'm afraid your practice today will be somewhat more formidable," Tyrion announced to the Keep's bannermen and guards who were using the practice hall. "Northern opponents now walk these grounds. What say you, Master Theomar, how many do you think Ser Mariya could best today?"

Theomar grinned happily and gazed over the group who were now opening staring at the Northerners, no doubt surprised at the way Lollys was handling the short sword that Fili had placed in her hands. She looked up at him adoring and shy, perhaps remembering him as much bigger since she had been smaller and younger when he'd been taken. Fili said something quiet to her and bent closer so that she could touch the braids in his hair. Then she smiled silver-bright and threw her arms around him. Bilbo's heart lifted, and he exchanged a pleased look with Mariya. Fili had doted on his cousins, treating them more like siblings. It was good to see that that inclination hadn't left him.

"Over half, probably more, my Lord," Theomar said decisively, sending a proud look towards Mariya who merely inclined her head in thanks. Despite her place in Shala's bed and her role in the children's lives, she never forgot that the twins held authority over her. She continued to teach them how best to use that power.

"Over half, it seems a fair estimate considering her last tally here," agreed Tyrion. "But first, I believe some teaching was spoken of. Ser Mariya?"

Mariya nodded sharply and lifted her sword, a gesture which Theomar immediately responded to. He stepped eagerly towards her, his eyes fixed on her as she began the lesson. Lollys looked at Bilbo.

"Can we, Bilbo?"

Fili handed Bilbo a sword with a smile, likely remembering Bilbo's dislike of swordplay years before. That dislike had remained, but Bilbo also now knew how valuable knowledge of a weapon could be. It'd saved his life, and Thorin's, more than once when they were in exile and when triumphing in the fight for their home. He clasped Fili's hand, hoping to transmit how glad he was to see the young Durin alive and whole again. Fili's eyes softened and his grip tightened on Bilbo. It was all they could do for now, in public. Hopefully they could construct some privacy for a more familial greeting.

Lollys tugged impatiently on Bilbo's sleeve and he raised his eyebrow at her. She made a very put-upon face, and Fili dissolved into laughter, stepping away as Lollys lunged towards Bilbo with a deeply disturbing glint in her eyes. Bilbo managed to fend her off, trying to concentrate on correcting her form as well as keeping an eye on both Tyrion orchestrating something amongst the watching bannermen and on Dis throwing her arms around her long-missing son, squeezing him tight.

Bilbo had never been happier to yield.

"Very good," he told Lollys, as she held her sword to his throat.

Dis was wiping tears from her face, arms still clutched around Fili, and Theomar was choosing an opponent for Mariya. Lollys hurried over to join him, wanting an opponent of her own. Bilbo watched, a song in his heart, likely Northern, and wished that Thorin was there to see it all too.

**CHAPTER TWO**

When Tyrion revealed that a feast was being held that night, Dis decided it was time for the Durins to acquaint themselves with their quarters and to prepare for such an event. Fili led them to a hallway not far from the Queen's own chambers.

"Kili and I room next to her," he revealed. "Assassins don't cease working while we sleep."

Theomar looked thrilled by the idea of night-time assassinations and begged Fili for stories, which Fili promised to recite at the feast if Theomar behaved himself. Fili had learned true Southern diplomacy, Bilbo observed. He'd always been more inclined towards any sort of politics than Kili had been, but clearly time in the Queen's court, and under Tyrion's wing, had polished that side of him to a more impressive degree. It was a good thing, Bilbo decided, particularly considering where Fili was now based. Such skills would keep him, and others, alive.

Fili revealed that Thorin and Shala had a large room for themselves and Mariya, who was of course there as their personal guard. Bilbo would room with the children in the quarters next door whilst Dis's room was on the opposite side of the hallway. Thorin and Shala were already in their quarters, directing several girls in unpacking chests. Mariya began eyeing the window and doors, clearly calculating what steps would have to be taken in dire circumstances. Bilbo was freshly grateful for her presence.

Thorin's gaze immediately sought out Bilbo, both relieved and happy to see him. It was a feeling Bilbo strongly returned. Theomar and Lollys excitedly told their parents of the afternoon they'd had and Bilbo leaned against Thorin's shoulder, grateful for the innocent moment of touch. Thorin's hand brushed briefly through his hair in reply.

Fili hugged his aunt and uncle, thankfully unchained from propriety for now, and smiled widely as the serving girls quickly and quietly left.

"A sight I never thought I'd see again," he admitted, looking at them all hungrily. "Thank the Old Gods for miracles, and for the Queen."

"She treats you well?" Dis asked immediately, bursting with questions.

"Well enough. Kili's right, she's…she's seen a lot, and holds Westeros together thanks to steel like I've never seen and thanks to Tyrion and Sansa ensuring all plots unravel before they approach unseating her."

That satisfied Dis and talk turned to what had come to pass whilst Bilbo had been sparring. The Queen had wanted to hear of how the Greyjoys were behaving – apparently she'd come to the conclusion that it was a Greyjoy plot that had resulted in Kili and Fili being stolen away to slave cities, believing the other to be dead. That talk had gone well, and Lady Sansa had thanked Thorin for the care he and others on the Mountain had taken with Winterfell, and the company that Theomar and Lollys had been for Rickon and Bran. But then some lordling had voiced the not-entirely-joking point that Kili looked so much like Thorin, he could be a son instead of a nephew.

Bilbo's eyes widened – the implication had been clear, that this Northern family, from an insular place known to indulge in shared-blood relationships, had birthed children through incest. It was one of the offences which had damned Cersi Lannister. Dis looked furious and Mariya looked inclined towards murderous.

"I inquired why they thought we believed such a thing necessary when myself and Thorin have produced our own children," Shala added with a grim twist of her lips.

Theomar was the image of his father, yet retained his mother's bearing in his eyes, and Lollys's face was the very shape of Shala's. There was no disputing their parentage. Their very existence threw into shadow the idea of Kili and Fili as Thorin's sons.

"The Lady Sansa also pointed out Dis's marriage and asked whether it was believed that the entire Mountain would lie for the sake of the House of Durin," Thorin continued. "The idea was then put forward that Dis's marriage was merely a story and that her late husband's existence was likely a fallacy."

Mariya muttered something guttural in the Mountain's language and Fili darted forward to prevent his mother from leaving the room in order to throw her anger at the court. He himself did not look pleased.

"The Queen won't stand for it, she knows Kili hasn't lied to her," he told them. "And as she intends to soon marry her nephew, she won't look kindly on those that use incest as a means of condemnation."

It was deemed unusual, but the Targaryens apparently had such relationships in their family line. Daenerys was not the first of her House to marry one with whom she shared blood. But she was the Queen and the Durins were only a small obscure House from the North.

"They want to break our alliance with the Queen," Bilbo realised aloud, anger and worry rolling through him equally.

Thorin nodded, his shoulder pressed to Bilbo's, a touch they both needed. "Our position threatens someone."

Fili snorted. "Every House yearns for firmer ground with the Queen. Tyrion and Sansa will root out the cause of today's words."

He sounded sure, and unlikely to go rushing off to right the wrong himself. It was strange – Bilbo was used to seeing Fili and his brother hurling themselves into revenge and retribution and feckless adventures. He was not used to this deliberation and careful forethought. Was that the Queen's influence? Tyrion's? Or was it the years spent away from the North?

Shala smiled, a flash of familiar steel to the expression. "And they expect us to attend the feast tonight, hoping we will cause offence in our reaction to their false words."

Bilbo grimaced; of course. The feast would be difficult enough, fielding questions and ensuring that the children behaved themselves. Shala would have to be relied upon to keep Thorin from rising to any bait. And Fili and Kili would have their duties to attend to, leaving their mother free to stick sharp words wherever she wished. It made Bilbo tense to even think about.

Thorin's hands rubbed his muscles loose and Bilbo melted under the warm familiar touch, especially when a kiss was brushed against his temple.

"I took back the Mountain from the Greyjoys, I can conquer a Southern feast," Thorin muttered in Bilbo's ear.

Bilbo grinned slightly. "And now as then, you will have royal aid."

Thorin grunted an affirmative and drew Bilbo closer. Bilbo nestled against him, soaking in the feeling. Such times would be few and far between for them at King's Landing. That hollow feeling in his chest ached again. Coming back to the South had reminded him all too clearly of how lucky he was.

But the moment was soon over, Theomar and Lollys wanting to know why they had to talk to the Southern children when people here were behaving badly towards their family. Bilbo replied that Tyrion's niece and nephew were unlikely to so cruel, Tyrion wasn't, was he? He quickly herded them out of the room, with a last look at Thorin, and into their own quarters to prepare for the feast.

"Will there be dancing?" Lollys asked, sorting through her chest of dresses with a quizzical frown.

"Lots," confirmed Bilbo. "I expect every man will try to dance with the Queen, to talk to her and gain favour."

"We've already got her favour," Theomar pointed out.

"We have, and we're very lucky. Other people don't like that."

Bilbo reminded them both of how to behave, that if anyone asked them about their family, they were only to answer very carefully and politely, and if people started asking strange questions, to leave their company immediately. Children had been used in political games for decades, in all kinds of ways, and Lollys and Theomar would appear to be very tempting pawns.

"They may talk about marrying you into another House," he warned Lollys. "You must always say that the decision lies with your father."

Lollys's face puckered at the idea of marriage but she nodded. Bilbo had told her how women won victories and brokered peace through marriage, in the same way that men did in battle. Marriage could change balances of power significantly. Look at how Lollys's mother had kept other Houses from gaining a grip on the Mountain by marrying Thorin herself.

"Will they try to marry Fili off?" Lollys asked suddenly. "Because Kili can't, because of the Queensguard."

The very thought made Bilbo's stomach plummet. He forced a smile. "They will try, I expect. But the Queen knows who Kili loves."

Lollys looked satisfied, but the thought stayed lodged with Bilbo – he'd have to bring it up with Thorin and Shala before someone at court did. Forcing himself to focus, he made sure that the children looked presentable, Lollys in a beautiful silver dress and braids in her hair that marked her as a Durin heir and already a fine swordswoman, Theomar in slate grey and black, his own dark hair worn far longer than any Southern man's. Bilbo himself wore the Durin colours and looked as neat and presentable as possible, though his clothing also clearly marked him as a station below the Durins.

A knock at the door revealed a bannermen of the Queen's who would accompany them to the throne room for the feast. Everybody else had already left apparently. Bilbo ran a last quick eye over the children – Theomar had a short sword on his belt, and whilst it appeared that Lollys was as unarmed as any Southern woman, Bilbo knew for a fact that beneath her skirts was at least one dagger. These were still dangerous times, as Thorin and Shala's experience in court had proven, and this was still a Northern family.

Bilbo flexed his foot, checking the position of his rarely-used boot knife, and nodded.

The hall was as crowded as expected. The Durins had been placed at a table to the left of the Queen's, Mairya stood behind Shala, her eyes fixed on the crowd. Her expression was pinched; she must have already heard things that she did not like. Bilbo directed the children towards their parents. Thorin and Shala looked as striking together as always, both possessing strong-featured faces framed by long dark hair strewn with braids, metal fastenings, and beads. They looked at each other with love in their eyes, a love which Bilbo knew was rooted in friendship begun in childhood. Neither of them regretted the marriage – it had strengthened the Durin hold on the Mountain and had brought them the twins. They only regretted that their lovers were forced to stand forever apart from them in public.

Bilbo nodded his head respectfully at them, a gesture they returned as the children rushed to take a seat at Shala's side. Bilbo had wondered, when he'd first arrived at the Mountain, how Thorin's wife would view him, especially since Thorin himself looked at Bilbo with such lust. But Shala had welcomed him, and once they had cemented a bond over the gardens and the children, she had revealed Mariya's true role in her life. She had never displayed a scrap of jealously towards Bilbo for his foremost place in Thorin's heart, and Bilbo had learned to let go of his own insecurities about Shala's power and position. Thorin needed them both, for vastly different reasons. And, Bilbo had realised, as the family had woven its own pattern of happiness and strength, he needed both Thorin and Shala too.

Thorin was his heart and always would be. But Shala had become a friend, close enough that she had told him once that she often thought of him as a brother, a moniker that Dis also inferred upon him. For Bilbo, who had had no siblings and had become used to a quiet lonely life in the gardens of the Reach, it was a precious thing indeed to be afforded such a wealth of family. It was a thing that he would not see taken apart by the South, if he could help it.

Thorin had once asked, in a quiet reflective moment, if Bilbo regretted not having children of his own, not having the sort of family and simple life that most longed for. Bilbo had replied that he had Theomar and Lollys, for they were his children, and Mariya's, as much as they were Thorin and Shala's, were they not? And whilst this was not the life he had dreamed of as a child, he had not known that such a life could exist before coming to the Mountain. How could he regret any of it?

Bilbo smiled to himself and took a seat at the end of the table, nominally there to keep the children in order whilst their parents spoke for the Mountain to many people who would have sly digging questions. But he was also there as ears and eyes, just as Mariya was, to see what might be growing under the surface. Kili and Fili would do what they could, but, Bilbo realised with a deep pang, the House of Durin was no longer their priority. It never would be again.

The food was good and Lollys and Theomar ate as quickly and messily as the Northerners they were. Bilbo talked quietly to them, coaching them to notice how the Queen moved, how she was sending a message with everything she did, how everybody watched her to try and read her intentions and affections. Imagine living under those stares all day long. Look at how she so often turned towards Lord Snow, how much she cared for him. Clearly this was a marriage born of love, not politics, and how unhappy some Houses here likely were with the choice she'd made, wishing they'd managed to tie one of their own to the Throne. Lollys watched Lady Sansa too, her eyes wide and worshipful. Bilbo smiled, Lady Sansa was to be admired for all she had achieved and overcome and how well she held herself now, as though none could harm her. He was glad that Lollys had chosen her as a subject of fascination.

The music was soft as people spoke and ate, but once the meal was done and the Queen rose to begin the dancing, the tunes grew louder. Tyrion immediately strode over to introduce his nephew Tommen and his niece Myrcella. Myrcella looked shy, though Tommen was as bright as a button and immediately asked about the sword on Theomar's belt. Lollys lingered by Myrcella, looking interestedly at the quiet girl's scars and mangled ear, before asking if she knew the steps to the song now calling dancers to the floor. Bilbo inwardly sighed with relief; on the Mountain scars were prized and talked of proudly, as marks of survival and victory. He had warned Lollys that things were different here and now he watched proudly as the children played together, South and North mingling unobtrusively. Tyrion had already left to bend another ear. Bilbo wasn't offended; the Hand's work was obviously never done.

Bilbo tucked himself near to the wall and drank a honeyed ale. He let the sounds wash over him- Dis was talking to Lady Sansa, who surprisingly had a hand pressed to Dis's arm. Perhaps Sansa was offering soothing words, preventing Dis from making accusations before all the deeply-buried facts had been unearthed. The Queen was dancing with a Lord of the House of Arryn, her silver hair flashing brightly in the candlelight while Kili kept watch nearby and Lord Snow gazed at her and smiled, not really concentrating on the conversation he was supposedly having with a maester. His brother Aegon was talking with a lady dressed in Martell colours and Tyrion was sandwiched between two men who looked very agitated as they rather forcefully spoke. Although Tyrion was nodding seriously, amusement played at the corners of his mouth. Whatever they were demanding, he already clearly had a handle on it. Thorin and Shala were sat together, hands intertwined, Mariya close beside them, watching their children play.

Bilbo smiled thoughtfully, it seemed that there were many answers to uncover during the Durins's Southern stay – plots and motivations and possible marriage proposals and careful secret loopholes. And no doubt many questions would be asked of them also. They would never be entirely comfortable here; the North was always calling them home. It called Bilbo home too. He actually found the cold steel sheathed in his boot a comfort. How much he had changed.

He still loved to have his hands in earth though, only now he loved coaxing out snow blossoms and tough stringy vines and flowers that thrived in the cold and ice. It made him proud to see the gardens of the Lonely Mountain reclaiming the dirt and to know that he had made it so. He loved that Thorin, a man of iron and of feelings deeper and often darker than the Mountain's mines, appreciated it. He loved that Thorin appreciated him.

He felt a nudge at his shoulder and Fili smiled at him. Bilbo drank him in – how good it was to see Fili, and how well he looked. Was that due to close proximity to his brother again? Or because of the purpose he now found himself fulfilling? Or both?

"Lady Sansa wishes to talk to you about Winterfell's gardens and crops, and how well her family's home fairs," Fili told him.

Bilbo nodded and gestured with his free hand. "Of course. Lead on."

Fili's smile widened into a grin and he cleared a path easily through the crowd, leading Bilbo to where Sansa was sat near to the Queen. Kili, at the Queen's elbow and listening carefully to her, flicked his gaze briefly over toward Fili. If anyone caught the sway of his attention, it could merely be seen as the closeness of brothers, particularly after so many years of dramatic separation. It warmed Bilbo to witness it, to see the two of them still so intertwined despite the distance that needed to be maintained in public. He sympathised with them. In order to gain what you most desired, you had to deal with pain, it seemed.

Across the room, Thorin's skilful fingers adjusted a charm in his hair, a tiny etched silver leaf that Bilbo had presented to him years before. Bilbo ran fingers over the tree charm in his own golden curls. It was as public an affirmation that he and Thorin could make, letting each other know through the slightest gesture how much they both cared.

Shala smiled at him, the wooden charm in one of her braids had been made by Mariya. Mariya's own dark blonde hair was full of braids and charms for battles and victories, except for one dark glittering bead. That meant something else entirely, as did the trail of steel beads by her right ear, one each for the children, for Kili and Fili, for Thorin, Dis, and Bilbo. For the people she'd protect with her life. Her gaze touched Shala every time it swept the room. Whatever questions this visit would throw at them, none of them would flounder alone.

Bilbo let his hand travel to the three black beads in his hair which Shala had gifted him with and smiled back.

_-the end_

Summary: The Durins arrive at King's Landing to reunite with Fili and have to deal with Southern politics. Bilbo watches everything, vowing to keep his family safe, and thinks on how lucky he is.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

When Tyrion revealed that a feast was being held that night, Dis decided it was time for the Durins to acquaint themselves with their quarters and to prepare for such an event. Fili led them to a hallway not far from the Queen's own chambers.

"Kili and I room next to her," he revealed. "Assassins don't cease working while we sleep."

Theomar looked thrilled by the idea of night-time assassinations and begged Fili for stories, which Fili promised to recite at the feast if Theomar behaved himself. Fili had learned true Southern diplomacy, Bilbo observed. He'd always been more inclined towards any sort of politics than Kili had been, but clearly time in the Queen's court, and under Tyrion's wing, had polished that side of him to a more impressive degree. It was a good thing, Bilbo decided, particularly considering where Fili was now based. Such skills would keep him, and others, alive.

Fili revealed that Thorin and Shala had a large room for themselves and Mariya, who was of course there as their personal guard. Bilbo would room with the children in the quarters next door whilst Dis's room was on the opposite side of the hallway. Thorin and Shala were already in their quarters, directing several girls in unpacking chests. Mariya began eyeing the window and doors, clearly calculating what steps would have to be taken in dire circumstances. Bilbo was freshly grateful for her presence.

Thorin's gaze immediately sought out Bilbo, both relieved and happy to see him. It was a feeling Bilbo strongly returned. Theomar and Lollys excitedly told their parents of the afternoon they'd had and Bilbo leaned against Thorin's shoulder, grateful for the innocent moment of touch. Thorin's hand brushed briefly through his hair in reply.

Fili hugged his aunt and uncle, thankfully unchained from propriety for now, and smiled widely as the serving girls quickly and quietly left.

"A sight I never thought I'd see again," he admitted, looking at them all hungrily. "Thank the Old Gods for miracles, and for the Queen."

"She treats you well?" Dis asked immediately, bursting with questions.

"Well enough. Kili's right, she's…she's seen a lot, and holds Westeros together thanks to steel like I've never seen and thanks to Tyrion and Sansa ensuring all plots unravel before they approach unseating her."

That satisfied Dis and talk turned to what had come to pass whilst Bilbo had been sparring. The Queen had wanted to hear of how the Greyjoys were behaving – apparently she'd come to the conclusion that it was a Greyjoy plot that had resulted in Kili and Fili being stolen away to slave cities, believing the other to be dead. That talk had gone well, and Lady Sansa had thanked Thorin for the care he and others on the Mountain had taken with Winterfell, and the company that Theomar and Lollys had been for Rickon and Bran. But then some lordling had voiced the not-entirely-joking point that Kili looked so much like Thorin, he could be a son instead of a nephew.

Bilbo's eyes widened – the implication had been clear, that this Northern family, from an insular place known to indulge in shared-blood relationships, had birthed children through incest. It was one of the offences which had damned Cersi Lannister. Dis looked furious and Mariya looked inclined towards murderous.

"I inquired why they thought we believed such a thing necessary when myself and Thorin have produced our own children," Shala added with a grim twist of her lips.

Theomar was the image of his father, yet retained his mother's bearing in his eyes, and Lollys's face was the very shape of Shala's. There was no disputing their parentage. Their very existence threw into shadow the idea of Kili and Fili as Thorin's sons.

"The Lady Sansa also pointed out Dis's marriage and asked whether it was believed that the entire Mountain would lie for the sake of the House of Durin," Thorin continued. "The idea was then put forward that Dis's marriage was merely a story and that her late husband's existence was likely a fallacy."

Mariya muttered something guttural in the Mountain's language and Fili darted forward to prevent his mother from leaving the room in order to throw her anger at the court. He himself did not look pleased.

"The Queen won't stand for it, she knows Kili hasn't lied to her," he told them. "And as she intends to soon marry her nephew, she won't look kindly on those that use incest as a means of condemnation."

It was deemed unusual, but the Targaryens apparently had such relationships in their family line. Daenerys was not the first of her House to marry one with whom she shared blood. But she was the Queen and the Durins were only a small obscure House from the North.

"They want to break our alliance with the Queen," Bilbo realised aloud, anger and worry rolling through him equally.

Thorin nodded, his shoulder pressed to Bilbo's, a touch they both needed. "Our position threatens someone."

Fili snorted. "Every House yearns for firmer ground with the Queen. Tyrion and Sansa will root out the cause of today's words."

He sounded sure, and unlikely to go rushing off to right the wrong himself. It was strange – Bilbo was used to seeing Fili and his brother hurling themselves into revenge and retribution and feckless adventures. He was not used to this deliberation and careful forethought. Was that the Queen's influence? Tyrion's? Or was it the years spent away from the North?

Shala smiled, a flash of familiar steel to the expression. "And they expect us to attend the feast tonight, hoping we will cause offence in our reaction to their false words."

Bilbo grimaced; of course. The feast would be difficult enough, fielding questions and ensuring that the children behaved themselves. Shala would have to be relied upon to keep Thorin from rising to any bait. And Fili and Kili would have their duties to attend to, leaving their mother free to stick sharp words wherever she wished. It made Bilbo tense to even think about.

Thorin's hands rubbed his muscles loose and Bilbo melted under the warm familiar touch, especially when a kiss was brushed against his temple.

"I took back the Mountain from the Greyjoys, I can conquer a Southern feast," Thorin muttered in Bilbo's ear.

Bilbo grinned slightly. "And now as then, you will have royal aid."

Thorin grunted an affirmative and drew Bilbo closer. Bilbo nestled against him, soaking in the feeling. Such times would be few and far between for them at King's Landing. That hollow feeling in his chest ached again. Coming back to the South had reminded him all too clearly of how lucky he was.

But the moment was soon over, Theomar and Lollys wanting to know why they had to talk to the Southern children when people here were behaving badly towards their family. Bilbo replied that Tyrion's niece and nephew were unlikely to so cruel, Tyrion wasn't, was he? He quickly herded them out of the room, with a last look at Thorin, and into their own quarters to prepare for the feast.

"Will there be dancing?" Lollys asked, sorting through her chest of dresses with a quizzical frown.

"Lots," confirmed Bilbo. "I expect every man will try to dance with the Queen, to talk to her and gain favour."

"We've already got her favour," Theomar pointed out.

"We have, and we're very lucky. Other people don't like that."

Bilbo reminded them both of how to behave, that if anyone asked them about their family, they were only to answer very carefully and politely, and if people started asking strange questions, to leave their company immediately. Children had been used in political games for decades, in all kinds of ways, and Lollys and Theomar would appear to be very tempting pawns.

"They may talk about marrying you into another House," he warned Lollys. "You must always say that the decision lies with your father."

Lollys's face puckered at the idea of marriage but she nodded. Bilbo had told her how women won victories and brokered peace through marriage, in the same way that men did in battle. Marriage could change balances of power significantly. Look at how Lollys's mother had kept other Houses from gaining a grip on the Mountain by marrying Thorin herself.

"Will they try to marry Fili off?" Lollys asked suddenly. "Because Kili can't, because of the Queensguard."

The very thought made Bilbo's stomach plummet. He forced a smile. "They will try, I expect. But the Queen knows who Kili loves."

Lollys looked satisfied, but the thought stayed lodged with Bilbo – he'd have to bring it up with Thorin and Shala before someone at court did. Forcing himself to focus, he made sure that the children looked presentable, Lollys in a beautiful silver dress and braids in her hair that marked her as a Durin heir and already a fine swordswoman, Theomar in slate grey and black, his own dark hair worn far longer than any Southern man's. Bilbo himself wore the Durin colours and looked as neat and presentable as possible, though his clothing also clearly marked him as a station below the Durins.

A knock at the door revealed a bannermen of the Queen's who would accompany them to the throne room for the feast. Everybody else had already left apparently. Bilbo ran a last quick eye over the children – Theomar had a short sword on his belt, and whilst it appeared that Lollys was as unarmed as any Southern woman, Bilbo knew for a fact that beneath her skirts was at least one dagger. These were still dangerous times, as Thorin and Shala's experience in court had proven, and this was still a Northern family.

Bilbo flexed his foot, checking the position of his rarely-used boot knife, and nodded.

* * *

The hall was as crowded as expected. The Durins had been placed at a table to the left of the Queen's, Mairya stood behind Shala, her eyes fixed on the crowd. Her expression was pinched; she must have already heard things that she did not like. Bilbo directed the children towards their parents. Thorin and Shala looked as striking together as always, both possessing strong-featured faces framed by long dark hair strewn with braids, metal fastenings, and beads. They looked at each other with love in their eyes, a love which Bilbo knew was rooted in friendship begun in childhood. Neither of them regretted the marriage – it had strengthened the Durin hold on the Mountain and had brought them the twins. They only regretted that their lovers were forced to stand forever apart from them in public.

Bilbo nodded his head respectfully at them, a gesture they returned as the children rushed to take a seat at Shala's side. Bilbo had wondered, when he'd first arrived at the Mountain, how Thorin's wife would view him, especially since Thorin himself looked at Bilbo with such lust. But Shala had welcomed him, and once they had cemented a bond over the gardens and the children, she had revealed Mariya's true role in her life. She had never displayed a scrap of jealously towards Bilbo for his foremost place in Thorin's heart, and Bilbo had learned to let go of his own insecurities about Shala's power and position. Thorin needed them both, for vastly different reasons. And, Bilbo had realised, as the family had woven its own pattern of happiness and strength, he needed both Thorin and Shala too.

Thorin was his heart and always would be. But Shala had become a friend, close enough that she had told him once that she often thought of him as a brother, a moniker that Dis also inferred upon him. For Bilbo, who had had no siblings and had become used to a quiet lonely life in the gardens of the Reach, it was a precious thing indeed to be afforded such a wealth of family. It was a thing that he would not see taken apart by the South, if he could help it.

Thorin had once asked, in a quiet reflective moment, if Bilbo regretted not having children of his own, not having the sort of family and simple life that most longed for. Bilbo had replied that he had Theomar and Lollys, for they were his children, and Mariya's, as much as they were Thorin and Shala's, were they not? And whilst this was not the life he had dreamed of as a child, he had not known that such a life could exist before coming to the Mountain. How could he regret any of it?

Bilbo smiled to himself and took a seat at the end of the table, nominally there to keep the children in order whilst their parents spoke for the Mountain to many people who would have sly digging questions. But he was also there as ears and eyes, just as Mariya was, to see what might be growing under the surface. Kili and Fili would do what they could, but, Bilbo realised with a deep pang, the House of Durin was no longer their priority. It never would be again.

The food was good and Lollys and Theomar ate as quickly and messily as the Northerners they were. Bilbo talked quietly to them, coaching them to notice how the Queen moved, how she was sending a message with everything she did, how everybody watched her to try and read her intentions and affections. Imagine living under those stares all day long. Look at how she so often turned towards Lord Snow, how much she cared for him. Clearly this was a marriage born of love, not politics, and how unhappy some Houses here likely were with the choice she'd made, wishing they'd managed to tie one of their own to the Throne. Lollys watched Lady Sansa too, her eyes wide and worshipful. Bilbo smiled, Lady Sansa was to be admired for all she had achieved and overcome and how well she held herself now, as though none could harm her. He was glad that Lollys had chosen her as a subject of fascination.

The music was soft as people spoke and ate, but once the meal was done and the Queen rose to begin the dancing, the tunes grew louder. Tyrion immediately strode over to introduce his nephew Tommen and his niece Myrcella. Myrcella looked shy, though Tommen was as bright as a button and immediately asked about the sword on Theomar's belt. Lollys lingered by Myrcella, looking interestedly at the quiet girl's scars and mangled ear, before asking if she knew the steps to the song now calling dancers to the floor. Bilbo inwardly sighed with relief; on the Mountain scars were prized and talked of proudly, as marks of survival and victory. He had warned Lollys that things were different here and now he watched proudly as the children played together, South and North mingling unobtrusively. Tyrion had already left to bend another ear. Bilbo wasn't offended; the Hand's work was obviously never done.

Bilbo tucked himself near to the wall and drank a honeyed ale. He let the sounds wash over him- Dis was talking to Lady Sansa, who surprisingly had a hand pressed to Dis's arm. Perhaps Sansa was offering soothing words, preventing Dis from making accusations before all the deeply-buried facts had been unearthed. The Queen was dancing with a Lord of the House of Arryn, her silver hair flashing brightly in the candlelight while Kili kept watch nearby and Lord Snow gazed at her and smiled, not really concentrating on the conversation he was supposedly having with a maester. His brother Aegon was talking with a lady dressed in Martell colours and Tyrion was sandwiched between two men who looked very agitated as they rather forcefully spoke. Although Tyrion was nodding seriously, amusement played at the corners of his mouth. Whatever they were demanding, he already clearly had a handle on it. Thorin and Shala were sat together, hands intertwined, Mariya close beside them, watching their children play.

Bilbo smiled thoughtfully, it seemed that there were many answers to uncover during the Durins's Southern stay – plots and motivations and possible marriage proposals and careful secret loopholes. And no doubt many questions would be asked of them also. They would never be entirely comfortable here; the North was always calling them home. It called Bilbo home too. He actually found the cold steel sheathed in his boot a comfort. How much he had changed.

He still loved to have his hands in earth though, only now he loved coaxing out snow blossoms and tough stringy vines and flowers that thrived in the cold and ice. It made him proud to see the gardens of the Lonely Mountain reclaiming the dirt and to know that he had made it so. He loved that Thorin, a man of iron and of feelings deeper and often darker than the Mountain's mines, appreciated it. He loved that Thorin appreciated him.

He felt a nudge at his shoulder and Fili smiled at him. Bilbo drank him in – how good it was to see Fili, and how well he looked. Was that due to close proximity to his brother again? Or because of the purpose he now found himself fulfilling? Or both?

"Lady Sansa wishes to talk to you about Winterfell's gardens and crops, and how well her family's home fairs," Fili told him.

Bilbo nodded and gestured with his free hand. "Of course. Lead on."

Fili's smile widened into a grin and he cleared a path easily through the crowd, leading Bilbo to where Sansa was sat near to the Queen. Kili, at the Queen's elbow and listening carefully to her, flicked his gaze briefly over toward Fili. If anyone caught the sway of his attention, it could merely be seen as the closeness of brothers, particularly after so many years of dramatic separation. It warmed Bilbo to witness it, to see the two of them still so intertwined despite the distance that needed to be maintained in public. He sympathised with them. In order to gain what you most desired, you had to deal with pain, it seemed.

Across the room, Thorin's skilful fingers adjusted a charm in his hair, a tiny etched silver leaf that Bilbo had presented to him years before. Bilbo ran fingers over the tree charm in his own golden curls. It was as public an affirmation that he and Thorin could make, letting each other know through the slightest gesture how much they both cared.

Shala smiled at him, the wooden charm in one of her braids had been made by Mariya. Mariya's own dark blonde hair was full of braids and charms for battles and victories, except for one dark glittering bead. That meant something else entirely, as did the trail of steel beads by her right ear, one each for the children, for Kili and Fili, for Thorin, Dis, and Bilbo. For the people she'd protect with her life. Her gaze touched Shala every time it swept the room. Whatever questions this visit would throw at them, none of them would flounder alone.

Bilbo let his hand travel to the three black beads in his hair which Shala had gifted him with and smiled back.

_-the end_


End file.
